Star Wars: The Complete Saga (1977-2005)

[Thequanglewanglequee]

I was wondering if my chances of receiving a slipcover would be higher if I ordered directly from the Disney store? I'm looking to buy Star Wars Rebels season one on blu-ray, which was released on September 1st. I'd appreciate the feedback!

[Scarface32]

Do you think Disney should make a new "Special Edition" to digitally replace the Ewoks with tiny Mickey Mouses?

[Thequanglewanglequee]

I have a lot of nostalgia for The Phantom Menace. The first time I saw the poster for it I was like WOAHHHH! I also remember having a Boss Nass KFC cup and my mom buying me these fruit snacks that tasted terrible. It was so 90’s and it was awesome.

[octagon]

Originally Posted by HeavyHitter

But it's Star Wars. And a lot of things regarding Star Wars sells as we saw leading up to the new movie.

If they marketed the unaltered original trilogy restoration, for example, as a special 40th anniversary/limited edition package which we know Disney likes to do anyway - I think the sales would be very high. It would sell a hell of a lot more than 20,000 units. They would probably release it digitally too. There would be a lot of publication and news stories about the release too for the 40th.

Let me clarify something. 20,000 units would be ridiculously low. I'm not endorsing that prediction. I'm simply saying even a ridiculously low prediction is going to be a lot closer to right than predicting profits of hundreds of millions of dollars. That's not even in the realm of the possible.

Profits in the tens of millions aren't even on the table.

You say sales would be very high but the rub here is that even really big Blu-ray numbers aren't all that big. The Complete Saga was an event release and set all kinds of Blu-ray records but at the end of the day it moved less than three million units.

A lot of people seem to think that Disney is sitting on an untapped goldmine with regard to a BD release of the UOT and the numbers simply don't support that.

Originally Posted by crissrudd4554

Grouping the 'I dont care' crowd as the majority I think is a little unfair because we dont know the complete statistics on who wants what.

Most people don't care about physical media anymore.

Most of the people who care about physical media don't care about Blu-ray. Blu-ray is inching up but it's still behind DVD in both units and revenues.

And less than three million of the people who do care about Blu-ray bought The Complete Saga.

These things we know.

People who want a Blu-ray release of the UOT are a fraction of a fraction of a fraction of a fraction of the public.

Now, if the UOT did get a BD release would it generate respectable numbers? Absolutely. I don't think it would be anywhere near a million units (or even half a million, for that matter) but a couple hundred thousand? Yeah, maybe.

But however many units it sells, the number of people who don't buy it will dwarf the number of people who do.

That's just how it is.

[crissrudd4554]

A million copies? No. A few hundred thousand copies? Absolutely. But i wouldnt say those who want the OUT is a fraction of a fraction of a fraction. Keep in mind theres fans that saw the film in '77 who introduced their kids to those versions and who will moat likely introduce it to their kids if they havent yet. Like i said the generation grows and I think the more the urge for a decent release of the OUT grows.

[octagon]

Originally Posted by crissrudd4554

Like i said the generation grows and I think the more the urge for a decent release of the OUT grows.

Two things...

I honestly think that as time passes interest levels in the UOT will diminish. Fewer and fewer people will care whether Han shot first and the people who continue to care will feel less and less strongly about it.

I mean, there are a lot of Star Wars fans today who have never seen the UOT and barring some sort of release that number will only get higher.

The second things is, even if the number of people interested in a UOT release increases over time, the percentage of those demanding a physical media release will likely continue to decline.

I might not like that but what I like doesn't generally enter into these things.

If it did we'd all be watching and talking about our UOT BDs instead of wishing for them.

[starman15317]

They need to release the UOT on Blu, and and digital simultaneously. We all know that for some reason, a lot of people still buy DVDs, and it's actually a bit challenging for people to find DVDs of the movies (even though you can buy the Blu/DVD combo sets of the OT or PT). They would make a lot of money on DVD sales alone, especially with the newfound interest in Star Wars.

[Falaskan]

Was TPM ever released on home video in 3D at all? I thought it was on select TV deals?

[HeavyHitter]

Originally Posted by octagon

Let me clarify something. 20,000 units would be ridiculously low. I'm not endorsing that prediction. I'm simply saying even a ridiculously low prediction is going to be a lot closer to right than predicting profits of hundreds of millions of dollars. That's not even in the realm of the possible.

Profits in the tens of millions aren't even on the table.

You say sales would be very high but the rub here is that even really big Blu-ray numbers aren't all that big. The Complete Saga was an event release and set all kinds of Blu-ray records but at the end of the day it moved less than three million units.

A lot of people seem to think that Disney is sitting on an untapped goldmine with regard to a BD release of the UOT and the numbers simply don't support that.

Understood on the 20,000 units thing. The complete saga boxset moved nearly 2.5 million units. Of course, the individual sets of Episodes 1-3 and 4-6 sold in some numbers, as well, as the repackaged complete sets with DVDs, and digital...but let's just stick to the 2.5 million units. Now say this restored set would sell about 1/3 of the original boxset which I think is a realistic number still a little conservative, but we're talking nearly $50 million in sales if the set sold for $60.00 (with Disney I could see something around this price). There would also surely be a DVD, digital download or streaming release too which would generate millions. So, even after marketing, production costs, distribution, etc. I think they would make tens of millions with no problem at all. Seventy-five to 100 million dollars would be possible with all video sources. Then factor in worldwide sales.

The question becomes how much does the restoration cost for all three movies? It won't be cheap, but Disney will still come out well ahead at the end of the day and no doubt these assets have to be restored and preserved as has been mentioned.

[Geoff D]

Originally Posted by Falaskan

Was TPM ever released on home video in 3D at all? I thought it was on select TV deals?

No.

[happydood]

Originally Posted by octagon

Two things...

I honestly think that as time passes interest levels in the UOT will diminish. Fewer and fewer people will care whether Han shot first and the people who continue to care will feel less and less strongly about it.

I mean, there are a lot of Star Wars fans today who have never seen the UOT and barring some sort of release that number will only get higher.

The second things is, even if the number of people interested in a UOT release increases over time, the percentage of those demanding a physical media release will likely continue to decline.

I might not like that but what I like doesn't generally enter into these things.

If it did we'd all be watching and talking about our UOT BDs instead of wishing for them.

That's pretty much it. I'm always amazed and probably shouldn't be how many people on this very forum couldn't care less about movies made before 1980, but they are plentiful.

[Aragorn the Elfstone]

Originally Posted by octagon

I honestly think that as time passes interest levels in the UOT will diminish. Fewer and fewer people will care whether Han shot first and the people who continue to care will feel less and less strongly about it.

That only highlights this as a dire situation and shows the absolute need for the original films to be released in their original state on current and future home video formats.

For the sake of historical significance, if nothing else, they can't be allowed to fade into oblivion.

[kidglov3s]

People walking the streets of California will need to watch out for Bob Iger on a street corner, with a cup asking for change crying "Why did I think people would buy Star Wars on video!"

[crissrudd4554]

Originally Posted by octagon

Two things...

I honestly think that as time passes interest levels in the UOT will diminish. Fewer and fewer people will care whether Han shot first and the people who continue to care will feel less and less strongly about it.

I mean, there are a lot of Star Wars fans today who have never seen the UOT and barring some sort of release that number will only get higher.

The second things is, even if the number of people interested in a UOT release increases over time, the percentage of those demanding a physical media release will likely continue to decline.

I might not like that but what I like doesn't generally enter into these things.

If it did we'd all be watching and talking about our UOT BDs instead of wishing for them.

Fair enough. I will say if it doesnt happen in the next 10 years than everyone should forget it but I will not give up hope. I honestly think we are thinking to much into 'how much money it makes' which in all fairness and to a degree sadness is not our problem. We who want the OUT know we are gonna buy it and not think much about who else is or isnt buying it. Its like when studios repackage the same DVDs with the new artwork so to get the film out in the public eye again but in the end its not gonna sell as well as before because fans are getting smarter and know theyre being duped into buying by the same release again. I know cause thats happen on more than one occasion. But do we actually think how much the companys losing cause of that? Not much.

[Aragorn the Elfstone]

I'm not quite as pessimistic as some of you. The trilogy is bound to get another restoration at some point in the future (for 4K, surely).

Now, they could very well still not do the Original Unaltered versions, but it's still not like the current BD transfers are going to be the be-all end-all of the films on home media. It'll happen sooner or later, and I think there's at least a fair chance that the original cuts will be included when that day comes along.

[nmycon]

Originally Posted by Aragorn the Elfstone

I'm not quite as pessimistic as some of you. The trilogy is bound to get another restoration at some point in the future (for 4K, surely).

Now, they could very well still not do the Original Unaltered versions, but it's still not like the current BD transfers are going to be the be-all end-all of the films on home media. It'll happen sooner or later, and I think there's at least a fair chance that the original cuts will be included when that day comes along.

I wouldn't even call the blu-ray transfers current. Those transfers were done in the early 2000's and used for the 2004 DVD releases. As far as I know, the only film that was rescanned specifically for the HD release was Phantom Menace. The original trilogy hasn't been scanned in well over 10 years.

Not to mention that Episodes II and III were shot digitally at 2K resolution, so there's not much improvement that can be made to them.

[Aragorn the Elfstone]

Originally Posted by nmycon

I wouldn't even call the blu-ray transfers current. Those transfers were done in the early 2000's and used for the 2004 DVD releases. As far as I know, the only film that was rescanned specifically for the HD release was Phantom Menace. The original trilogy hasn't been scanned in well over 10 years.

All the more reason why its overdue. If the films are going to be in 4K at all (whatever format it ends up being on), new scans will need to be done at some point - even if it is years from now.

Not to mention that Episodes II and III were shot digitally at 2K resolution, so there's not much improvement that can be made to them.

I'm sorry, I'm not familiar with those...

[HeavyHitter]

Lucas is the ONLY reason why these were not restored and now that he is out of the picture, I think this will change.

[crissrudd4554]

Originally Posted by HeavyHitter

Lucas is the ONLY reason why these were not restored and now that he is out of the picture, I think this will change.

We shall see. We shall see.

[Thequanglewanglequee]

I kind of like how the 1981 re-release of Star Wars had Star Wars: Episode IV A New Hope in the opening crawl. I think that it adds some consistency to the original trilogy. I grew up watching the 1995 VHS versions. It's kind of funny because the advertisement tagline before the film is "OWN THE ORIGINAL STAR WARS TRILOGY ON VIDEO...ONE LAST TIME.”